Allocation policy widens Ulster split

Michael Whittley, of the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education, had the issue raised at a Northern Ireland Chartered Institute of Housing conference this month.

Whittley condemned the housing executive's policy study of north Belfast, which he said politicised its housing strategy.

The area is divided by one of the province's "green lines" to separate Protestant and Catholic communities. There is a shortage of housing on the Catholic side.

Whittley said: "The study highlighted the Catholic situation as demographically driven and the Protestant one as stock driven. Studies like this are in danger of informing separatist policies and create greater segregation in the long run."

A spokesman for Open Door Housing Association supported Whittley's comments: "The housing executive is seen pandering to politicians' demands. However, it should be apolitical and provide housing for all that cross-cuts both communities."

Both the executive and Department for Social Development rejected the claims, and said that people had a right to choose where they wanted to live.

"Allocating social housing in Northern Ireland is no different than it is in other parts of the UK, such as Bradford and Oldham. We cannot make people live where they don't want to live. Applicants for social housing have choice and, in exercising that choice, personal safety is their predominant concern," stressed a housing executive spokesman.

The executive said it could not deal with segregation on its own and called for other agencies and community groups to foster integrated housing.

Recent research on integrated social housing by the University of Ulster concluded that the executive had neither created not added to the problems of residential segregation.

Ricky Rowledge, director of Council for the Homelessness in Northern Ireland, said the housing executive was powerless to force homeless people to move to an area where they felt frightened or under threat.